Syrian rex x rex mating

[Sam Zika]

I've read numerous places that you should not breed Whwh x Whwh because you'll get anophthalmic whites (WhWh), you should not breed Sasa x Sasa because you'll get "double satins" (SaSa), which are extra satiny and unattractive, and you should not breed rxrx x rxrx because they can be extra rex with fur that is too curly. But that doesn't make sense; recessive genes don't work that way. There is no "double rex." If a hamster has two rex alleles (rxrx), it is rex. It can't be any more rex than that.

So...is there any truth in that warning? Is rex actually a complex of more than one locus instead of a simple recessive?

[Cricetinae]

No, just some misinformation as far as I am aware.

It does not appear to present in the phenotype when a hamster is heterozygous at the rx locus in any discernible way, as you would expect with a simple recessive trait.

[Hekomi]

I've read that too, but then went back to find that information recently and couldn't remember where I found it. That makes sense though. I know double Rex in rats causes the fur to fall out which some like.

[Nancy's Hamsters]

I think I can help on this one since I made the same mistake in thinking BUT didn't have a Forum to ask before doing. I had Poohbear who was a whwh Satin ee Melanistic yellow male who was SH Ll. I found a beautiful Satin LH REC Roan girl who had and outstanding coat.

The only male I had which was whwh was Poohbear so I thought the exact same as you that Sasa was just as good as SaSa. Well the resulting litter proved how wrong I was in this thinking as the pups with double satin genes were awful coated and needed extra care their whole lives to prevent them from getting chilled and going into Hibernation. Constant care with their skin getting cuts and even with excellent care getting infected.

There were 13 pups in that litter and two ended up SaSa and took a long,long time to place in homes as they were just plain ugly. Their coats were so sparse it made them look like they had mange or some kind of illness which caused major hair loss. Of course it was only their hair follicles were double satin and that caused the fur to be very very thin. One new owner LOVED her boy cause he was always much warmer to the touch and he liked to lay on her shoulders which were arthritic. His warmer skin would actually sooth her aches and pains when her Hamster laid on her shoulders.

However along with that luxury came many many hardships too. Like hairless they were very prone to skin cuts and sores which for some reason were easily infected. Winter in a colder climate meant heat lamps or heat pads 24/7 which made the electric bill go up. Both pups had to be bedded with paper bedding and required daily brushing to prevent major hair mats on them even though they were SH. Aspen chips would stick to their coats like it was glued on them which would cause cuts on their skin if not combed or brushed out daily.

I will NEVER breed Satin X Satin ever again as it is like deliberately breeding two Wh mates and just saying "Oh well I'll just deal with the Anophthalmic pups if they occur.

Now Rex to Rex I had seen the eyelashes curl under and cause major health issues with the eyes being torn from the inverted eyelash. Major health issues should be avoided at all cost when you are a responsible breeder. This inverted eyelash problem only occurred when this well known breeder bred two Rex parents together and never when one was a rex and the other a rex carrier.

However why would you want to risk producing a pup who is unhealthy and will need high maintenance, when you can get the same looks by using one satin parent, and one normal parent to produce beautiful satin coated hamsters, and one rex and one rex carrier to safely avoid any pups who will not live without major surgery or have eye issues all it's life?

Here's some pics of the parents and the pups of my Sasa XSasa litter the Chedderbears
The Sire Poohbear
Poohbear indoors-a.JPG
The Dam Chitterchedder
Cheddarbears-day 24-Chitter Cheddar-a.JPG
Here is a Sasa LH BEC Roan male pup at 24 days old
Cheddarbears-day 24-BEC Roan LH Boy#1-c.JPG
and a SaSa SH BEC Sister at 24 days old Note how you can easily see her pink skin through her very thin coat as like an animal with full blown Mange.
Cheddarbears-day 24-Cream SH girl #1.JPG
and see if you can spot the two SaSa pups among the Sasa siblings in this suppertime photo(Both SaSa pups are readily visible
Cheddarbears-day 32-suppertime-c.JPG

Hope this helped to shed light on why to avoid producing double satin pups and why it may be and issue with health to breed two Rex coat hamsters together as well.

[WinnieTheHam]

Nancy is right, breeding two rxrx together can result in very curled eyelashes which would cause problems with their eyes. Breeding a rex with a rex carrier is the best way to avoid any health issues. I strongly believe two rxrx should not be bred together because health is the highest priority when breeding.

[Cricetinae]

Originally Posted by WinnieTheHam

Nancy is right, breeding two rxrx together can result in very curled eyelashes which would cause problems with their eyes. Breeding a rex with a rex carrier is the best way to avoid any health issues. I strongly believe two rxrx should not be bred together because health is the highest priority when breeding.

I've always assumed this to be hearsay, has this ever been observed? As previously mentioned, surely a rex pup from a Rxrx to rxrx pairing is obtaining no more genetic input at the rx locus than a hamster bred from an rxrx to rxrx mating? Or is the allele somehow altered when obtained from two homozygous parents?

[WinnieTheHam]

Im not too sure really, it's just what i have read. But even though there's no clear proof, a responsible breeder wouldn't take the risk. Breeding is not so much about getting gorgeous coat colours and types, it's mostly about improving the health of the hamster. So when there's speculation to whether this is dangerous or not, pick the safest option and not breed two rxrx together.

[Hekomi]

I'd love to hear some breeders who have bred Rex to step in? First hand accounts might clear this up.

[Nancy's Hamsters]

Originally Posted by Cricetinae

I've always assumed this to be hearsay, has this ever been observed? As previously mentioned, surely a rex pup from a Rxrx to rxrx pairing is obtaining no more genetic input at the rx locus than a hamster bred from an rxrx to rxrx mating? Or is the allele somehow altered when obtained from two homozygous parents?

YES! I held two of the rex X rex pups before they had to under go expensive surgery to correct the inverted eyelashes which kept causing abrasions to the eye corneas. I did this when I went to collect their Rx carrying Brother. Had they been left alone the eyelashes would have eventually caused them blindness and VERY painful eyes as they couldn't even blink without extreme pain from the lashes rubbing the eyeball each and every time they blinked.

[Nancy's Hamsters]

Originally Posted by Hekomi

I'd love to hear some breeders who have bred Rex to step in? First hand accounts might clear this up.

How much more first hand then your Mentor was one of the most sought after hamstery for show quality Rex coat hamsters? I also bred rex coat from the off spring of the Rex carrier to his niece who was Rx

My Mentor's Rx X Rx litter was from Her 3 X CHA Grand Champion's Rex grandson escaping and getting in with a Rex Female who was sired by the Male escapees Sire. My Mentor was VERY adamant about never breeding Rex X Rex as that one oops litter cost her a bundle of cash to make sure the Double Rex pups would not be in pain their whole life and so she could allow them to go into pet homes and not go blind.